The advent of microprocessor and microcontroller technology has allowed many products to include functionality and features that would not otherwise be possible. The compact and inexpensive nature of controller and controller technology and the ease with which the functionality of these devices may be changed or augmented has lead to a consumer marketplace inundated with products having subtle functional differences from one another. For example, two different models of cellular telephones, television remote controls, video tape recorders, ovens, or any other consumer products may operate, from a user perspective, in subtly different ways. In fact, many manufacturers differentiate their own products along subtle functional lines and distribute products having different model numbers that function in subtly different ways into different marketing channels. While the products are essentially the same, subtle operational aspects of the products are different.
One particularly noticeable area in which subtle functional differences has arisen is in the automotive industry. While the basic functionality of vehicles (i.e., transportation) has remained constant, the environment in which drivers operate vehicles has drastically changed. For example, fifteen years ago nearly all vehicles included radios having identical user interfaces including analog tuning and mechanical pushbuttons to set station presets. Today, however, vehicle sound systems may include compact disk (CD) players, CD changer controls, cassette tape players, digital tuners, various numbers of station presets for amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) bands and clocks. Across vehicle manufacturers, sound systems operate is subtle, different ways.
These subtle differences are not limited only to car audio systems. In fact, the location and functionality of windshield wiper controls, electronic mirror adjustments, headlights, interior lights, trunk latches and fuel latches, and the operation of temperature controls, to name a few, have changed and continue to change. Additionally, new functions and features appear on vehicles with regularity.
Not only are functional differences present between different vehicle models and between different vehicle manufacturers, functional differences are also present temporally between identical models of identical vehicles. For example, a year 2002 Cadillac Eldorado may include subtle functional differences from a year 2001 Cadillac Eldorado.
As will be readily appreciated, subtle functional differences in consumer products such as electronics or vehicles may prove frustrating to consumers. For example, a consumer may be irritated at the fact that she knows how to drive her new vehicle, but must struggle to find the controls for the windshield wipers for the first time when it begins raining, because the controls on the new vehicle are located in a different place than they were located on a vehicle with which she was previously familiar. In some cases pertaining to, for example, safety features such as lights, windshield wipers, traction control system interfaces and the like, the consumer may not only become frustrated, but may actually be in danger while trying to figure out how the new vehicle is different from a vehicle with which they are already familiar.
In an effort to inform consumers of their new vehicle operation, vehicle dealers typically walk a purchaser through the vehicle operation when the vehicle is purchased. The shortcomings of the new vehicle walk through are two-fold. First, typically not everyone who will drive the vehicle is present through the walk through and walk through information is not usually passed on to those absent from the walk through. Second, walk through information is quickly forgotten in the excitement of a new vehicle purchase.
Additionally, every vehicle manufacturer includes a lengthy owner's manual with each vehicle sold. While these owner's manuals include protracted discussions and instructions on even the subtlest details of the vehicle, the instructions are quite lengthy and are rarely read by consumers because consumers feel that they “already know how to drive.” For example, although an owner's manual would clearly indicate where windshield wiper controls are located in the vehicle, the driver does not typically read the manual and, therefore, has to figure out where the wiper control is while driving on a dark and stormy night. At least one of the reasons that owner's manuals are not effective in communicating subtle operational differences is that it is difficult to distill an entire owner's manual into a short list of functional differences of which the consumer should be made aware. Another reason that manuals are not completely effective is that no person will ask to review an owner's manual for another person's car when driving that person's car for the first time. Further, certain drivers may be unable to read the English language in which the owner's manual may be written.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding the disclosure. Additionally, those having ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the order of the blocks in the flow diagrams is merely exemplary and changes in the flow diagrams disclosed herein may be effected.